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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23063251">Invite the monster under your bed to cuddle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kismetcanbiteme/pseuds/Kismetcanbiteme'>Kismetcanbiteme</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The 100 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, Fae &amp; Fairies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:35:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,611</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23063251</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kismetcanbiteme/pseuds/Kismetcanbiteme</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There was a monster in the woods that surrounded the village of Arkadia.</p><p>A shadowy monster with huge leathery wings and fangs as long as your forearm, that prowled into homes to snatch babies from their cribs and lured maidens away, so that the only thing left was a slipper at the edge of the tree line.<br/>The monster would take just about anyone.<br/>Women who disobeyed their husbands. Teenagers caught kissing the wrong people. The elderly woman thought to be a witch.  All fell to the beast.</p><p>OR Arkadia feeds people to a monster in the woods, and Clarke doesn't mind being eaten?</p><p>No clue where this came from y'all its been a long week</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clarke Griffin/Lexa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>308</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There was a monster in the woods that surrounded the village of Arkadia.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A shadowy monster with huge leathery wings and fangs as long as your forearm, that prowled into homes to snatch babies from their cribs and lured maidens away, so that the only thing left was a slipper at the edge of the tree line.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Clarke remembered each of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first to go was Charles Pike’s son. Two years old and timid, seen last playing at the forest's edge where he had been forbidden to go. Pike had come home drunk to his sobbing wife, who cowered beneath her husband and his rum scented breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was taken by the morning. A bloody trail showed she had gone the way of her child. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pike drank until he died.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next was Wells. Shy, sweet Wells who helped Clarke with her maths and looked after his little sister, Charlotte, faithfully. At first, everyone thought Murphy’s gang had finally pushed the poor boy into the cistern. They had certainly tried enough times. But the cistern was empty, and Clarke found a piece of his shirt caught in the brier the same place Pike’s wife had disappeared.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After that, the village started trying to feed it. Maybe if they offered up sacrifices, people who wouldn’t be missed of course, the monster would leave them their children and their maidens.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sacrifices started in Autumn. The monster would take just about anyone. (though it did leave Finn, the village fool, alone. The villagers couldn’t really blame it for not having a taste for idiot)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Women who disobeyed their husbands. Teenagers caught kissing the wrong people. The elderly woman thought to be a witch. Clarke’s best friend Raven… sacrificed because her leg wouldn’t work right, and her mother wouldn’t put up a fight to keep her. All fell to the beast.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The monster seemed content with this and left the rest of the village well alone for the most part. A maiden or two disappeared every so often, but no one really minded that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Clarke’s Father wasn’t taken by the monster at all. He died in war. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Clarke stopped it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Clarke had </span>
  <em>
    <span>saved </span>
  </em>
  <span>them. She brokered peace. Her. A healer, well past marrying age at twenty five, had managed to do something not one of the seven old councilmen could.  The Trikru had stopped their siege, and Clarke had saved the skins of every godforsaken villager in Arkadia.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So it was really no wonder that, lashed to the pole near the edge of the woods in only her night dress, the only thing that eclipsed her fear was her rage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had overstepped, they said. Arkadia was fine, they could have wiped out the Trikru if only Clarke had left well enough alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was torn from her bed at night just as the rest of the sacrifices had been, her home was set ablaze, and she heard her mother retching and coughing as they drew her out into the freezing night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was very dramatic, Clarke thought wryly. She could give them that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were sure to draw the attention of the beast with their pitchforks and torches which she guessed was the point. Had to let it know dinner was served.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The wind howled and the clouds looked heavy with rain. Hopefully that would stop her house from burning completely to the ground. Maybe her mother could scrounge together what’s left of her medical supplies and start over. Leave it to Arkadia to sacrifice one of the two healers in their village and set fire to the only medical supplies for miles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Clarke figured there was a metaphor in there somewhere, but she was too scared and angry to think on it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The clouds above her broke open turning her nightdress useless and transparent and plastered her blonde hair to her head as she sagged shivering on the pole.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She peered through the rain into the dark greens and blues of the forest, trying to catch a glimpse of her fate, the self preserving part of her trying to reason whether or not she had a chance to escape. The others were always gone by morning so she had no clue when she would be devoured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t until she heard silence from the village behind her that she saw it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A darkness, so inky black it eclipsed every shape around it, began to emerge from the bushes Shadows swirled over themselves and a static electricity pulsed around the mass that was neither bothered nor slowed by the downpour around it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Clarke’s heart pounded through every limb and her fingers sprung into motion trying to undo her bindings in desperation. She couldn't help but start to cry hot fast tear tracks into the grime on her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The shadow crept steadily closer. Maybe it would rend her flesh from her skeleton quickly and take the bones with it to snack on later. Maybe the beast would kill her slowly over a matter of days.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The shadow creature seemed to make good view of her (maybe? She wasn’t sure it had eyes), pause, and speed up until it was right in front of Clarke. The swirling black mass hovered for a minute and Clarke’s fingers worked even faster.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just as she managed to free her hands, the darkness surged forward, engulfing her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To her shock, it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>warm</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Warm long fingers trapped her wrists in the pitch black and she was pressed against something soft.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<span>A low melodic voice whispered “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Finally</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't have a clue where this came from but enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The shadows cleared and she found herself staring at a woman. A </span>
  <em>
    <span>goddess, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she mentally corrected herself, with glowing green eyes and long brown curls and </span>
  <em>
    <span>giant </span>
  </em>
  <span>brown feathered wings. She wore a long emerald dress, the bottom of which still swirled and dipped like the smoke that had surrounded her moments ago.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The woman smiled at her and somehow pulled her closer until they were nose to nose </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“May I have your name?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she asked</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Clarke nearly answered before remembering just how much power a name could give a creature not of this world. So she answered with the first thing to pop into her head </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What will you give me in return?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She wanted to kick herself for her disrespect towards a woman who may very well still kill her, beauty or no, but the lady simply wrapped her arms around her and lowered her head down to Clarke’s ear. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Everything, dear one</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wanheda” she blurted out</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The woman smirked and raised an eyebrow “</span>
  <em>
    <span>The spirit of death? You do not look very murderous to me.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She bristled at that “There is no life without death.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The spirit threw back her head and laughed, a gorgeous sound Clarke hoped to commit to memory. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>There isn’t.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she agreed with mirth tightening her arms further around Clarke’s back gathering her up against her body heedless of the rain that still soaked them both. Her smile turned </span>
  <em>
    <span>just </span>
  </em>
  <span>this side of wicked and those wings closed in around them cocooning Clarke in their warmth and softness</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Whether or not you give me your name, I will tell you this for certain</span>
  </em>
  <span>” her face was so close her lips brushed over Clarke’s. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You’re mine, Wanheda.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She swallowed nervously. “And may I have your name, good spirit?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That wolfish grin came out again and got tucked into Clarke’s neck where she feared the spirit would hear how fast her heart beat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she snickered “</span>
  <em>
    <span>do you want me to be yours, mortal?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I- well… Is that an option?” she hedged carefully</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The spirit sighed “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Riddles for riddles is it</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” She must have grown bored of their conversation because she started to press kisses into the crook of her neck</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Clarke tipped her head back letting the rain wash her tear tracks away and letting the spirit take some of her weight which she seemed happy to do, wings tucking more securely around her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was stuck somewhere between arousal and shock. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Spirit,” she asked weakly “Is this how the others were led into the forest?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She froze against her, going stiff and Clarke panicked slightly thinking she had erred. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The spirit brought her head up to gaze at Clarke, pliant in her arms “</span>
  <em>
    <span>No. They weren’t. I was waiting for you</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she said simply “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I will give you two choices, mortal. You can come with me to my land and rule beside me. Be my queen.  Or you can take your chances in the village</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The expression on her lovely face let on exactly what she thought of the village of Arkadia which was apparently not much.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How had she gone from quietly tending patients in her little village to being ravished by a much feared “monster”?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>However…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The more she thought back, the more she remembered the feeling of being watched when she went too close to the forest's edge (which she did far too often for her mother's liking). Clarke’s curiosity and longing brought her closer to the shadows of the woods every day.  She remembered wanting to hide away in the trees and disappear into its depths.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And now she was being given the opportunity to do just that. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Clarke made her decision fairly quickly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I want your name first. I want you to be mine.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The spirit didn’t hesitate “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Lexa</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>………………………………</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Later, much later, in their garden watching the inhabitants of the forest realm, Raven and Wells and all the children saved from drunk fathers and wives saved from murderous husbands and outcasts saved from a world that didn’t deserve them. Clarke tells Lexa her name. Lexa merely laughs, tells her she knew it the whole time, and kisses her sweetly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
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